A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
Today we took in the "Tree of Life" mosaic at the Basilica of San Clemente, led by the intrepid Hannah O'Connor. It is such an intricate and deeply symbolic work of art that it is necessary to not only view it with a knowledgeable guide, as we had, but also to examine it up close in photographs. I was delighted to see that today's Mass readings for the Memorial of St. Teresa lined up perfectly with our Art and Architecture class. In fact, all the content of today's Calendar Class seems particularly prescient and relevant to our running themes!
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Bishop Barron's Gospel reflections today.
Sanctoral: Today is the Memorial of St. Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582). Teresa was born in Avila and died in Alba, Spain. When only a child of seven, she ran away from home in the hope of being martyred by the Moors; in this way, she said she could come to see God. At the age of eighteen she joined the Carmelite Order and chose Christ as her heavenly Spouse. With the help of St. John of the Cross she reformed most of the Carmelite convents and founded new ones. She reached the highest degree of prayer and through prayer obtained such knowledge of divine things that in 1970 Pope St. Paul VI named her the first woman Doctor of the Church.
St. Teresa did not die on October 15, but she had the unique privilege of dying around midnight of October 4, 1582. After so many centuries of following the Julian Calendar, it was realized that the days didn't add up quite right, and needed some adjusting for the anomalies. Pope Gregory VII Issued the papal bull Inter Gravissimas, which ordered 10 days to be removed from the calendar, October 5-14, 1582. Hence, St. Teresa's feast was marked on the "next" day from October 4, which that year was October 15. Find out more, and see why we have Gregory VII to thank for Leap Year.
Human: First day of conversion to Gregorian calendar from Julian for several countries (Poland, Spain, Italy, Portugal), due to Pope Gregory XIII’s decree. Great Britain and colonies did not convert until 1752– 1582
In Roman History:
In honor of the god of war Mars, the Equus October ritual took place today. This ritual ended the season of agricultural work and military campaigns. It took place during one of the three chariot races in honor of Mars (so-called Equirria). Two-horse teams (bigae) competed against each other on the Field of Mars (Campus Martius). The horse, belonging to the winning chariot, and the one on the right was transfixed by a spear, then sacrificed. The horse’s head (caput) and tail (cauda) were cut off and used separately in particular stages of the ceremony. Scientists believe that many aspects of the rite were adopted from the Etruscans.
70 BC – Virgil was born in Andes, a village near Mantua, in Cisalpine Gaul, – a great Roman poet and author of the Aeneid – the Roman national epic. The biography of Virgil is relatively well known, mainly thanks to Donatus’ biography of Virgil from the 4th century AD.
Natural: "Castagna: the Queen of October"- all about Italian Chestnuts, which Valentina keeps finding on the ground, dropping over the wall from our neighbor's tree.
Beyond its culinary uses, the chestnut has deep cultural and symbolic significance in Italy. Historically, the chestnut tree was known as the “tree of bread” because it provided sustenance for so many rural communities. The resilience of the chestnut tree, which thrives in poor soil and harsh conditions, mirrors the resourcefulness of the people who have depended on it for survival.
Italian: Agio (ease / comfort)
Quote:
Let nothing affright thee,
Nothing dismay thee.
All is passing,
God ever remains.
Patience obtains all.
Whoever possesses God
Cannot lack anything
God alone suffices.
-St. Teresa of Avila (the link is to a video by Fr. Stephen Wang, the current rector at The Venerable English College)
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